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N.J. Senate president is leagues legislator of the year

HIGHTSTOWN, N.J. (9/12/11)--New Jersey Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D) will be named Legislator of the Year at New Jersey Credit Union League’s 77th Annual Convention in Atlantic City. Sweeney spearheaded the municipal deposit reform legislation signed into law last month to enable credit unions to become eligible depositories for counties, municipalities, and school boards, said the league (The Daily Exchange Sept. 9). Sweeney will receive the award and address convention attendees during the dinner and awards banquet Sept. 19. First elected to the New Jersey Senate in 2001, Sweeney was chosen by the Democratic Majority to lead the Senate in the 214th Legislature and took the oath as Senate president Jan. 12, 2010. In 2011, Sweeney proposed sweeping reforms to the public employee pension and health benefits systems that will save taxpayers more than $120 billion over a 30-year period. The reforms have been hailed as a national model for other states, said the league. Sweeney was also instrumental in crafting the state’s new 2% property tax cap and has led efforts to reform the arbitration procedures for police and fire contract disputes.